Types of Mead

Begin Your Exploration of the World of Mead

Mead comes in many varieties and can range from dry to medium to very sweet and ABV (% Alcohol) can range from 6% up to 20%.

Traditional mead is made with honey and water, the honey preferably being from a single floral source.

Melomel is mead made with honey and fruit, the fruit adding acidity and tannins as well as flavour and colour. Some of the best fruits for melomels include blackcurrant, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry and cherries.

Metheglins are mead with herb, spice or flower additions. Examples include rose, elderflower and hibiscus and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and nutmeg.

Meads can also be aged with oak which adds a range of flavour profiles. Heavy oak will add carmelised, smoky espresso flavours, medium oak will add vanilla and caramel and light oak will impart more of a fresh oak, coconut, fruit flavours and aromas.

There are also many regional variety of Mead too numerous to list, including tej from Ethiopia, miodpitny from Poland, melovina varieties from across eastern Europe.